- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what updated guidance it plans to publish in relation to a presumption against children and young people living in temporary accommodation being required to move schools.
Answer
Further to the answer to question S6W-36591 on 22 April 2025, provided by the former Minister for Housing Paul McLennan MSP, on plans to implement a presumption against children moving schools when they are placed in temporary accommodation, I can advise that the Scottish Government plans to cover this issue when it next updates the Code of Guidance on Homelessness. This guidance, used to guide local authorities in their duties to assist people who are threatened with or who are experiencing homelessness, was last updated in November 2019.
The Scottish Government is committed to a substantial review of the Code of Guidance once the Housing (Scotland) Bill is passed by the Scottish Parliament. The updated Code of Guidance will cover all legislation, policies and practices to prevent and resolve homelessness.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38220 by Maree Todd on 17 June 2025, what analysis it has carried out of whether missing data may reflect a failure to fulfil the legal obligations set out in section 298 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and, in the event that these legal obligations are not being fulfilled, what action the Scottish Government plans to take to address this.
Answer
Section 298 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 sets out a legal obligation on Police Scotland to notify the Mental Welfare Commission of instances when a relevant person is removed to a place of safety under section 297 of this Act. The Commission is working with Police Scotland to improve compliance in this area.
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in relation to reports of land being sold at auctions as investment or lifestyle plots, despite being situated on crofting, arable or protected land, such as the Parallel Roads of Lochaber Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Achnabobane.
Answer
Owners and occupiers of land within an SSSI must apply to NatureScot for consent to carry out certain operations. When a planning application is submitted in relation to a development that may affect an SSSI, the planning authority must consult NatureScot and take its advice into account. Should any proposed future use of land require planning permission, that would be a matter for the planning authority to consider under relevant planning legislation and policy.
We are continuing to progress a Nature Conservation Order to prevent further damage to the Parallel Roads of Lochaber Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), as per the answer to question S6W-37759 on 30 May 2025.
- Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the preparation of an environmental policy strategy under section 47 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.
Answer
The Scottish Government has published a consultation on a draft Environment Strategy, building on the Vision and Outcomes document published in 2020, that will fulfil the requirements of section 47 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.
The draft Environment Strategy brings together our approach for creating a Scotland whose environment is healthy and robust and benefits everyone in Scotland. It sets out a holistic framework for delivering Scotland’s role in protecting our environment by tackling nature loss, climate change and pollution. It focuses on approaches that will improve the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s communities, promote social justice and strengthen our economy, helping us to become a fairer, more prosperous and resilient nation. In this way, it is designed to support the delivery of all four of the government’s priorities.
The consultation is available on Citizen Space at https://consult.gov.scot/environment-forestry/draft-environment-strategy/ and we encourage responses from all parts of society and from our business community. The consultation will close on 29 September.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of its amendment to the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, to reduce the threshold at which provisions apply to land from 3,000 hectares to 1,000 hectares, on the (a) likely number of sales and transfers of land and (b) costs to rural businesses.
Answer
Amendment 38 to the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, agreed to by the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee at Stage 2, lowered the threshold in relation to the land which community engagement obligations (the primary of these being the land management plans) may be imposed from 3,000 to 1,000 hectares. This aligns the thresholds for these provisions with those for the pre-notification and transfer test provisions, which relate to transfers of land. The threshold for pre-notification and transfer test provisions were already set at 1,000 hectares at Bill introduction.
To understand the impact of all the Bill's proposals on businesses, the Scottish Government conducted a Scottish firms impact test, involving engagement with landowners, land agents and representative organisations of land-based businesses. The assessment of the potential impacts of the Bill provisions applying to land over 1,000 hectares on a) transfers of land and b) costs for rural businesses can be found in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill - Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland has made progress on implementing "a national review of freight parking/rest areas" in line with recommendation 36 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), and when it expects to publish the findings of any such review.
Answer
STPR2 forms the Scottish Government’s long term plans for future transport investment. It must be recognised that it is not possible to take forward all 45 STPR2 recommendations at the same time.
Whilst work on recommendation 36 is still to begin, my officials have been undertaking preparatory work on the scope of the review.
They have been engaged with, and are learning from, the UK’s Department for Transport’s recently completed, Task and Finish Group. This was an industry lead group which has had two key focuses, the first was development of a set of secure parking standards for lorry parks and rest stops. The second related to the development of new sites and the challenges and opportunities this presents. On this latter task the Road Haulage Association have been chairing the group which included a wide range of industry stakeholders. Whilst planning matters in England and Wales are different to those in Scotland, there were many parallels that can be drawn from this that have been helpful in shaping the scope of future Scottish-based work.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what work it is engaged in to address the increase of 16% in shoplifting incidents recorded in 2024-25 compared with 2023-24, and how it will work with local authorities to protect retailers and their staff.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the significant impact of shoplifting and retail crime on victims.
Our budget for 2025-26 includes an additional £3 million for Police Scotland to work in partnership with the retail sector to help tackle retail crime.
Furthermore, the government continues to back the Scottish Partnership Against Acquisitive Crime (SPAACE), led by Police Scotland alongside retailers and organisations like Retailers Against Crime and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland. The strategy focuses on prevention, deterrence, and enforcement, aiming to reduce crime opportunities, protect businesses and individuals, and provide clear prevention guidance.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of buses ordered under the first phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB 1) by (a) manufacturer and (b) place of manufacture.
Answer
Through the first phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) operating companies were awarded £62 million capital from the Scottish Government to buy 273 zero emission vehicles and their charging infrastructure. The following table sets out the manufacturer. The Scottish Government does not collect data on the locations in which vehicles are manufactured.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Transport Scotland publication, Islands Connectivity Plan The Vessels and Ports Plan for the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles networks (2025 – 2045), whether it will list the fleet and port enhancement projects that it anticipates will be completed by 31 March 2026.
Answer
The Island Connectivity and Vessel and Ports Plan outlines our investment in new vessels and port and harbour projects that have been delivered within Phase 1 period of 2021-2026 reference to pages 11, 12 and 22 of the VPP.
Whilst we would have liked to have made more progress given the long lead-times for vessel and port projects, it was always known that a number of these projects would require further funding for construction beyond the five-year period of the IIP.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it has measured any impact of the women’s health plan’s targeted training for key professionals on women and girls with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold data on the impact of training for healthcare professionals on women and girls with a diagnosis of PMDD.
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) published an eLearning module for healthcare professionals on Menstrual Health in September 2024. The module is available on TURAS, the education platform for NHS Scotland. To date, 211 learners have completed the resource with 59% of those completing the module evaluation. A further 728 learners are in progress.
Specific impact data for the section on premenstrual dysphoric disorder(PMDD) is not available. Initial evaluation data of the module as a whole suggests increased empathy and compassion, as well as practitioners reporting plans to change their communication and consultation styles because of the learning.